Dr. Wanda Brister, Mezzo-Soprano, Handel’s Messiah

Mezzo-Soprano Wanda Brister has performed more than forty operatic roles with opera companies such as Opera Orchestra of New York, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Baltimore Opera, New Orleans Opera, Opera Theater of Saint Louis, New York Opera Ensemble, Annapolis Opera, and Pittsburgh Opera Theater.

Dr. Brister has sung under the batons of such conductors as Krzysztof Penderecki, Michael Tilson Thomas, John Rutter, John Nelson, Philippe Entremont, Leopold Hager, Gianfranco Masini, and Eve Queler.

Dr. Brister sang with the New York Vocal Arts Ensemble, a solo quartet. She is featured on the recording Strauss Waltzes for Singing and also recorded Le premier matin du monde, the music of Chausson, Fauré, Debussy, Poulenc, and Satie. Other collaborative works include "Clarikenetics," with Debora Bish, clarinetist.

 

Ila Brown, Accompanist, "Bach to Broadway"

Ila Brown has served as accompanist for the Choral Society of Pensacola since the 2006-2007 season. A church musician most of her life, she accompanied at Myrtle Grove Baptist Church for 16 years and is currently on staff at Perdido Bay United Methodist Church. She has accompanied throughout the Pensacola area, including the University of West Florida, and has been staff accompanist at Pensacola Junior College since 2000. While teaching and playing at PJC, Ms. Brown accompanies touring guest artists for the Lyceum Series and faculty recitals. She runs her own piano studio and currently teaches more than thirty students.

 

Carla Connors, Soprano, Haydn Anniversary

Carla Connors has been called "one of the best young sopranos of this decade" by the Detroit Free Press, and "a fresh, steady lyric soprano" by the New York Times. She debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2001, singing the soprano solos in Mozart and Schubert masses. Other New York City honors include first prize in the Lola Wilson Hayes Vocal Artists Award and being chosen as a winner in the American Song Competition, sponsored by the New York Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Ms. Connors has portrayed Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro for the New York City Opera National Company’s tour. At home with roles such as Despina in Così fan tutte, Norina in Don Pasquale, and Adina in L’elisir d’amore, she has also performed as Yum Yum in The Mikado and Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, Eurydice in Orpheus in Hades, and Adele in Die Fledermaus.

 

Dr. Leo Day, Tenor, Haydn Anniversary/Handel’s Messiah

Dr.Leo Day is Minister of Music at Olive Baptist Church. He facilitates not only worship leadership but also the media ministry, children/youth choirs, the drama ministry, adult choir, orchestra, praise team, and many other ensembles.

Dr.Day performs frequently throughout the Southeast and Northeast. He has sung professionally with the Hawaii Opera Theatre of Honolulu. After completing the regular opera season, he was invited to be the lead tenor for the Hawaii Opera Theatre’s touring company. Since Honolulu, he has performed in Maui and Mackinaw Island, as well as in several foreign countries, including Russia, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Barbados, Germany, and Australia.

Dr. Day can be heard on his solo recordings. "He Loves Me" was released in June 2003, and "Solace For The Soul" was released in June of 2005.

 

Alexander Elliot, Baritone, Handel’s Messiah

Alexander Elliott is a native of Florence, South Carolina. He received his bachelor’s degree in voice from Florida State University and is currently in his final year of study toward a master’s degree at FSU.

While at Florida State, Mr. Elliot has performed concert works with FSU, as well as the Tallahassee Music Guild, the Florence Symphony, and the Albany Chorale. Operatic roles performed include Pish-Tush in The Mikado, Demetrius in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia.

 

Kenneth Karadin, Organist, Duruflé’s Requiem

Kenneth Karadin has been organist and director of music at Christ Church in Pensacola since 1977. A native of Ohio, Mr. Karadin received his Bachelor of Music degree cum laude from Kent State University and his master of sacred music degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

Mr. Karadin studied organ with John Ferguson and Vernon DeTar and harpsichord with Ruth Nurmi and Eugenia Earle. In 1992, he undertook a year of additional harpsichord study with Karyl Louwenaar and Michael Corzine at Florida State University. Mr. Karadin has presented organ and harpsichord performances in Pensacola, Destin, Mobile, New Orleans, and Washington D.C.

 

Dr. Jane Redding, Soprano, Handel’s Messiah

Hailed for her virtuosity and charismatic charm, soprano Jane Redding continues to amaze audiences with her near-flawless musicianship, thrilling high notes, and wide-ranging versatility.

From comedienne to tragic heroine, Ms. Redding plays every role with distinction. Upcoming engagements include Gilda in Rigoletto with Opera Naples; Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera Southwest; Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Des Moines Metro Opera; Heroines in Tales of Hoffman with Nevada Opera; Despina in Così fan Tutte with Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra; Magnolia in Show Boat with Pensacola Opera; soprano soloist in Carmina Burana with Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra; and soprano soloist in The Creation with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. Redding has been the recipient of many awards, including a national winner in the coveted MacAllister Awards.

 

Holly Shelton, Soloist, Lyric Libations

Holly Shelton grew up in a musical family in Memphis. After earning a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance, she spent almost a decade in Los Angeles, learning the film industry at Warner Brothers. Film appearances include Clint Eastwood’s Heartbreak Ridge.

Tours to Morocco and the Mediterranean sparked her interest in singing in French, which she continues to pursue today.

Four self-made CDs are on the internet. Her voice can be heard on many compilations, including the latest "The Memphis Belles" by The Inside Sounds label in Memphis. Named "Best Vocalist on the Gulf Coast" many times by Gannett and IN News, Ms. Shelton continues to delight regional audiences with her colorful and versatile shows.

 

Gerald Stroup, Tenor, Duruflé’s Requiem

Gerald Stroup has performed throughout the country with opera companies such as the Goldovsky Opera Institute, New York Grand Opera in Central Park, and New Orleans Opera. He has performed as soloist with orchestras such as the Louisiana Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, and the Western Kentucky Symphony.

Mr. Stroup has performed as tenor soloist in works such as Carmina Burana and Stabat Mater by Rossini and Dvorak. For two years in a row, Mr. Stroup has performed in New Zealand as part of the Bay of Islands Festival of the Art. He has appeared on stage with jazz legend Dave Brubeck in Mr. Brubeck’s Mass: To Hope and was also a featured soloist with the African American Historical Museum fund raiser.

 

Mark Walters, Bass-Baritone, Haydn Anniversary

Mark Walters has been seen in leading roles throughout the United States and is rapidly gaining international attention with a repertoire of over 50 roles for the lyric stage and 20 oratorio works.

Last season Mr. Walters added two more Verdi roles to his repertoire. He debuted with Opera Fort Collins as Count di Luna in Il Trovatore and will return to OFC in 2010 for his first performances in the title role of Rigoletto. He was seen as Germont in La Traviata in his Florida Grand Opera debut and returned to Da Corneto Opera in his premiere as Amonasro in Aida.

He debuted as the Count in Le nozze di Figaro with Piedmont Opera, returned to Opera Memphis as Valentin in Faust, and returned to Nevada Opera as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Internationally he made his operatic debut in Osaka, Japan in the title role of Don Giovanni and also appeared in recital on the Bechstein Vocal Series in New York.

 

Kenneth Weber, Baritone, Duruflé’s Requiem

Kenneth Weber expanded his repertoire in 2008, premiering in new roles throughout the Southeast: Germont in La Traviata for Shreveport Opera, Tonio in I Pagliacci for Opera Las Vegas, Masetto in Don Giovanni for New Orleans Opera, and the Forester in The Cunning Little Vixen for Chautauqua Opera.

He has appeared with New Orleans Opera in Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, Manon, and The Ballad of Baby Doe and made his debut with Mobile Opera in The Mikado. Other roles include Count Di Luna in Il Trovatore, Blitch in Susannah, and Thomas Putnam in The Crucible.

Upcoming engagements for Mr. Weber include the title role in Sweeney Todd for Mobile Opera in 2010 and a return to the John Duffy Composers Institute – a two-week workshop of world premiers by emerging opera composers.